The Hague city council has issued a firm directive for Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s civil service team to vacate the Binnenhof complex within a month, citing critical fire safety concerns. This decision, announced by Mayor Jan van Zanen, overrides requests to extend the deadline, despite fears that the move could compromise state secrets.

Prime Minister Schoof, along with a core group of officials, is expected to leave the iconic Torentje office by the end of August. Housing and Public Space Minister Mona Keijzer had sought to extend the relocation deadline until next spring, citing the need for additional time to securely transfer the ministry’s sensitive digital infrastructure. However, Van Zanen emphasized that the physical safety of those in and around the Binnenhof must take precedence.

Keijzer also argued for a six-month extension for 70 civil servants from the Ministry of General Affairs to remain on-site while their computers were securely relocated. Van Zanen, however, rejected this request, enforcing a strict deadline of September 18. Failure to comply would result in a substantial penalty of €100,000 per week for overstaying.

The move is part of a broader plan to renovate the Binnenhof parliamentary complex, which is already over budget and behind schedule. The renovation, initially estimated at €500 million, is now projected to cost €2 billion and extend until 2028. The delay and cost increase are attributed to the discovery of additional security needs, higher maintenance demands, and a greater amount of asbestos requiring removal.

With the rest of the parliamentary and government offices already relocated, the decision underscores the urgency of addressing safety issues in one of the Netherlands’ most historic and politically significant sites.